Ahead of the 2023 elections, the North-Central has expressed its readiness to vie for the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Former National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, stated that the North-Central will vie for the party’s ticket irrespective of the zone that produces the national chairman at the October 30 national convention.

Baraje, in a statement made available to The Star, noted that the North-Central will follow to the letter the earlier declaration of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that zoning of party offices will not affect who flies the party flags for various elective offices.

North-Central has produced five national chairmen of the PDP in the 23-year history of the.

He said: “From late Chief Solomon Lar, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Dr. Ahmadu Alli, Chief Barnabas Gemade, and myself, all of us from North-Central have led the party at different times. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alhaji Adamu Muazu from North-East have emerged as national chairman while Dr. Haliru Bello spent only one year as acting chairman with Senator Ahmed Makarfi serving as caretaker chairman.

“With this history, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the North-West is most suitable to produce the next chairman.

“We have noted that some leaders outside the North-Central zone are scheming and exerting a lot of energy to push the national chairmanship position to the North-Central to ensure that the post is not in their zone.

“If the chairman eventually comes from the North-Central, it is just an extra for us. Presidential aspirants from the zones will still vie for the post.

“Let it be noted that it is our position in the North-Central zone that we stand by the earlier announcement by the party leadership that the presidential ticket will be free for all qualified aspirants to seek. We believe the party should respect its publicly declared position.

“It is not in the interest of the party for leaders to impose their will on the people. Leaders must consult widely and ensure that their decisions reflect the will and aspiration of the people on any issue. The issue of how we source the leadership of our party and who flies the flag of the party in the general election should reflect the wishes and aspirations of the people. Leaders must act in the best interest of the party and the nation. Anything short of that is courting needless crisis.”